'Grace of Monaco' Set to Open the Cannes Film Festival

"Grace of Monaco" has been announced as the opening film of the 67th Cannes Film Festival on May 14 at the Grand Théâtre Lumière of the Palais des Festivals, as a part of the Official Selection, Out of Competition. It's quite a premiere for a film with this much behind-the-scenes drama.

The saga of the release strategy of "Grace of Monaco" continues, going from awards season to an inauspicious spring rollout all the way to the Croisette.

To recap: the new film by Olivier Dahan ("La Vie En Rose") was slated for release November 27, 2013, only to be pulled from its spot and rescheduled for March 14, 2014 after producer Harvey Weinstein said the film wasn't ready. Dahan claimed that Weinstein wanted to make cuts to a plotline involving a clash between Grace Kelly's husband Prince Rainer III and French President Charles de Gaulle, while Weinstein said he had suggestions but no creative control over the project. With not much word on "Grace of Monaco" since October, the film otherwise seemed ready for release.

Now the Weinstein Company has pulled "Grace of Monaco" from the calendar yet again, with no new release date set. But while one's first instinct would be that Weinstein was going to bury the film, it looks like the opposite has happened. "Grace of Monaco" has now been announced as the opening film of the 67th Cannes Film Festival on May 14th. It's quite a premiere for a film with this much behind-the-scenes drama, especially considering that Dahan has apparently yet to deliver the film to Weinstein.

The film stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly and Tim Roth as Prince Rainer III. Other cast members include Frank Langella, Paz Vega, Parker Posey, and Sir Derek Jacobi. No word yet on whether or not Dahan and Weinstein plan to duel before the premiere.